Guidelines on Formatting Tables in AJHP Style

Guidelines on Formatting Tables in AJHP Style

Authors should use the table creation function of the word processing program used to prepare the
manuscript text; Microsoft Word (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) is strongly preferred. Each table
should be saved as a separate electronic file, with clean printouts of all tables submitted to guide the
journal’s production staff.

NOTES: Do not embed tables in the manuscript file; do not submit tables embedded in a graphic
presentation file such as a PowerPoint document or PDF unless requested to do so by the editors. Do not
use the space bar or the tab key to create tables; this will require that journal staff completely recreate the
table, which can result in data entry errors and potential publication delays.

Follow these general guidelines to help ensure that table formatting conforms to AJHP style:

1. To reduce the need for reformatting, key all data into table cells flush left (as in Table 1); proper
indentation and alignment will be done by the journal’s design staff. Do not use the space bar or
hard returns to indent, align, or “stack” data within cells; instead, place each item of data in a
separate cell.

2. Format the table to emphasize the primary outcome of interest; for example, to show a change over
time, list successive years from left to right in the column headings. While row headings should often
list variables alphabetically, it may be desirable to order row headings to highlight key findings. Note
that in Table 1, the racial/ethnic characteristics and comorbidities are listed in descending order of
frequency; in Table 5, the risk factors are listed by relative importance. In general, the most effective
and visually appealing tables have fewer column headings than row headings.

3. If the body of the table consists entirely or primarily of numerical values, designate all units of measure
or quantification (e.g., %, mg, $, µg/mL) in row headings (as in Table 1) or column headings (Tables 4
and 5) rather than repeating the units or symbols throughout the body. If most or all numerical data in
multiple columns are of the same type (e.g., mean ± S.D., number and percentage of patients), this can
be indicated above a straddle rule, as in Tables 2 and 3, or in the title (Table4).

4. Present related data in the same column. Examples include the number and percentage of patients,
the mean or median value and corresponding measure of variability or precision (e.g., S.D., range),
and the odds ratio and confidence interval (see Tables 1–3 and 5). When appropriate, p values are
presented in a separate column (Table 2); alternatively, a footnote may be used to highlight only the
findings that are statistically significant (Table 5).

5. In general, use only standard abbreviations for units of measure (e.g., g, mg, µg, cm2, L, mL, dL), other
commonly used abbreviations such as vs. (versus) and S.D. (standard deviation), and well-known
initialisms introduced in the text of the article (e.g., ADR, COPD, ESRD). To quantify time, use the
following abbreviations: sec, min, hr, wk, mo, yr (“day” is not abbreviated); these abbreviations are
never plural (e.g., not 12 hrs, but 12 hr). None of these abbreviations need to be defined in a footnote.

6. Use only standard signs and symbols (e.g., + = ≤). Do not use nonstandard symbols (e.g., ↑ ↓ Δ;
instead, spell out increase, decrease, and change).

7. Quantify medication dosages in the preferred format (dose, route, and frequency), as in 1 g i.v. daily,
10 mg i.m., or 200 mg orally twice daily. Do not use the abbreviations p.o. or s.c./s.q.; instead,
specify “orally” and “subcutaneous/subcutaneously.” The use of b.i.d., t.i.d., and other established
abbreviations for frequency of administration (e.g., q 8 hr) is permissible. None of these abbreviations
require definition in a footnote.

8. Use leading and trailing zeroes, as applicable, and carry out and/or round like values (generally those
in the same row or column) to the same number of decimal places. Decimal points should always be
preceded by a number or zero (e.g., 2.5 mg, p < 0.123).

9. Use superscript lowercase letters (a, b, c, d) instead of numbers or symbols (* † ** ‡) for footnotes. Avoid
abbreviations in table titles. Unless no abbreviations requiring a definition are used, all abbreviations
are defined in the first footnote (i.e., footnote a) in order of appearance in the table (from top to bottom
and left to right).

10. Except in very unusual circumstances, there should be no empty cells in the body of the table. As
necessary, enter ellipses with an explanatory footnote (e.g., data unavailable, not reported, not
applicable), as in Table 3.

Refer to the following examples in formatting tables:
Table 1.
Demographic and Clinical Variables in Study Populations, by Yeara

Variable 2004 (n = 1000) 2014 (n = 1000)
57 ± 3.6
Mean ± S.D. age, yr 59 ± 2.3 610 (6. 1)
Female, no. (%) 567 (56.7)
Race/ethnicity, no. (%) 640 (64)
White 650 (65) 190 (19)
Black 200 (20) 170 (17)
Hispanic 150 (15)
Comorbidities 581 (58.1)
Hypertension, no. (%) 603 (60.3) 338 (33.8)
124 (1.24)
Cardiovascular disease, no. (%) 312 (31.2) 4.5 ± 1.9
5.7 (1–7)
COPD, no. (%) 135 (1.35)

Mean ± S.D. hospital days per patient 5.1 ± 2.3

Median (range) hospital LOS, days 4.2 (1–5)

aCOPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, LOS = length of stay.

[NOTE: Column headings, row headings, and all data are keyed into table cells flush left, with each item
of data in a separate cell and no stacking of data within individual cells.]

[NOTE: In Tables 2–6 below, indentation and alignment are shown for illustrative purposes only; in
creating tables, authors should key all column/row headings and tabular data into table cells flush left.]

Table 2.
Outcomes in Patients With Diabetes Before and After Pharmacist Interventiona

Variable Mean ± S.D.
Before (n = 500) After (n = 500) p

HbA1c concentration, % 7.8 ± 1.6 7.1 ± 1.2 <0.01
103.7 ± 28.2 103.5 ± 28.9 0.70
Weight, kg 0.99
BMI, kg/m2 36.7 ± 9.1 34.5 ± 8.6
Blood pressure, mm Hg <0.01
124.9 ± 13.8 <0.01
Systolic 128.8 ± 14.4 74.2 ± 10.5

Diastolic 77.6 ± 9.5

aHbA1c = glycosylated hemoglobin, BMI = body mass index.

[NOTE: A straddle rule is used to specify a unit of measure applicable to multiple data columns.]

Table 3.
Pharmacokinetics of Drug Z in Healthy Persons and Patients With Renal Impairmenta

Variable Healthy Mean ± S.D.
(n = 100) Renally Impaired
(n = 100)

t½ (hr) 11.21 ± 3.64 12.8 ± 2.30
CL (L/hr) 17.19 ± 2.12 . . .b
Cmax (µg/mL) 2.23 ± 0.55
tmax (hr)c 4.0, 1.3–6.8 3.12 ± 0.85
90.82 ± 23.10
Vss 1.7, 0.5–2.5
AUC (µg · hr/mL) 25.2 ± 9.2
...
29.8 ± 8.9

at½ = half-life, CL = clearance, Cmax = maximum concentration, tmax = time to maximum concentration,
Vss = volume of distribution at steady state, AUC = area under the concentration–time curve.

bNot reported.
cReported as median and range.

Table 4.
Antimicrobial Therapy Costs ($) in Study Groups, Stratified by Patient Risk

Risk Level Group A Group B Group C

Low 107.79 114.53 68.76
Medium 154.83 146.81 77.43
High 201.39 194.55 90.32

Table 5.
Patient and Hospitalization Factors Associated With Postdischarge Thromboembolisma

\ No. (%) Patients Odds Ratio (95% CI)b

Characteristic

Patient risk factor

Prior VTE 7,335 (91.68) 8.21 (7.49–9.29)c
2.67 (1.93–3.70)
Sepsis 1,435 (17.93) 2.47 (2.05–2.97)
Cancer 6,970 (87.12)
1.15 (0.89–1.49)
Hospitalization factor 1.11 (0.27–4.49)

Admission in urban setting 3,302 (41.27)
Multiple admissions in 1 yr 2,345 (29.31)

aCI = confidence interval, VTE = venous thromboembolism.
bRelative to control group.
cp < 0.01.

[NOTE: Related data (i.e., numbers and percentages of patients, odds ratios and confidence intervals) are
presented in the same column, with units of measure/quantification specified in column headings.]

Table 6.
Summary Data from Clinical Trials of Drug Y for Disease Za

Study Design Regimen Primary Outcome(s)
Endpoint(s)

EXCITE I13 Phase I dose-ranging 0.5–1.5 mg/kg daily Minimum Minimum effective
study (n = 45) effective dose dose established at
1.25 mg/kg

EXCITE II14 Phase II randomized 1.25 mg/kg per day Rates of disease Drug Y superior to
controlled trial (n = 88) vs. daily progression at 3, placebo at 3 and 6 mo
placebo (n = 88) 6, and 9 mo (p < 0.05) and also at 9
mo (p < 0.01)

EXCITE III15 Phase III international, 1.25 mg/kg per day % of patients with Rate of stage 5 disease
multisite randomized (n = 767) for 4 wk vs. stage 5 disease at reduced with drug Y
controlled trial daily placebo (n = 769) 12 mo; mean no. vs. placebo (37% vs.
ADEs per wk 78%); mean no. ADEs
per wk lower with drug
Y (2.1 vs. 0.9, p < 0.01)

aADE = adverse drug event.

[NOTE: The superscript numerals in the left-hand column correspond to those for references cited in the
text of the article. References that appear only in a table (i.e., are not cited in the text) should be numbered
according to placement of the first mention of the table in the text; for example, if the table “callout”
(Table 6) in the text of the article appears after 10 other references are cited, the three references for this
table would be numbered 11, 12, and 13, with subsequent text citations numbered 14, 15, 16, etc.]